Slitting machine



Feb. 23, 1943'.v R. MCC. JOHNSTONE 2,312,172

' SLITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l BQZJMLY M 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 III R. MCC; JOHNSTONE' SLII'TING 1111111111111:

Fildd Jan. 30.1942

Feb. 23, 1943.

Feb. 23, 1943. R, Mcc, JoHNgToNE 2,312,172

SLITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1942 4 Shets-Sheet s g at: Q v 3g *6 2 h l -q. 3

w #1 N Y\ I I l a: iw gime s 1943. R. we. JOHNSTONE 2,312,17

SLIT'I'ING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1942 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED, STATES PATIENT OFFICE snrrmc MACHINE Robert McC. Johnstone, Bondsvilla l'a. Application January so, 1942, Serial No. 428,957

9 Claims. (CL 164 -65) A principal object of this invention is to provide improved means for mounting, tensioning and adjusting slitter elements in a slitting machine. N

More specifically, one object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the insertion and removal of the slitterunits in and from the machine. r

Another specific object of the invention is to provide improved means for advancingand retracting the slitter elements into and from operative engagement with the platen roll, and for adjusting the pressure of the elements against the platen.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide, in conjunction with said advancing and retracting means, an improved device for smoothing the work material on the platen preparatory to the, slitting operation.

The invention resides furtherin certain novel structural and mechanical details hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

' Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a slitting and rewinding machine made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary-side elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line .3---3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 4, and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to Fig. 4 and showing certain parts of the mechanism in a different position of adjustment.

With reference to the drawings, the machine comprises the usual frame I, in which are journaled front and rear winding drums, 2 and 3 respectively, said drums constituting the operating support for the roll 4 of therewound and slitted material, as illustrated. The work material, in the form in the present instance of a web 5, is drawn from a master roll 6 rotatably supported at the rear of the machine. The web passes around guide rolls I and 8, under therear winding drum 3 to the front drum 2, and around the latter to the roll 4, this roll being started on a winding shaft 9 in well known manner. The

front drum 2 constitutes a platen for the slitting.

operation, which is effected through the medium of a plurality of slitter units II, said units comprising slitter disks I2 which coact with the front drum. Each slitter disk I2 is carried at one end of a lever I3, to which is also attached a leaf spring ll. The levers are pivotally supported upon a bar I5 which extends transversely of the machine, and the springs I4 react with the under side of a beam I8 to resiliently retain the disks I2 in operative engagement with the drum 2 during the slitting operation, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In the present instance, the levers I3, which are fulcrumed on the transverse bar I5 as described, are held in adjusted position longitudinally of the bar by means of retainer or spacer members I! which are releasably clamped to the bar by means of a set screw III, as illustrated. The lever I3 with the disk I2 and spring Il may be lifted clear of the bar I5 and of the retainer I'I without releasing the latter from the bar; and by releasing the set screw I8, the lever with its attached elements and the retainer I! may be removed from the bar as a unit. The structural form and details of the slitter unit form no part of the present invention, and are fully disclosed in my copending application Serial Number 429,087. I

The fulcrum bar I5 is supported at the top of an I-beam I9. This beam in turn is supported at each of the opposite sides of the machine upon an eccentric 2I, which eccentrics are carried by a rock shaft 22 joumaled in the side members of the frame I, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. Secured to one end of the shaft 22 is a worm wheel 23, and this wheel is operatively engaged by a worm 24 which is rotatably mounted in a lever 25 having a hub 26 which embraces and pivots on the shaft 22. It isnpparent that any angular movement of the lever 25 about the axis of the shaft 22 will result in a corresponding angular movement of the worm wheel 23 and of the shaft 22; and that the angular positions of the worm 23 and the lever 25 with respect to each other and with reference to the axis of the shaft 22 may be varied through the worm 24. To this end, one end 21 of the worm shaft is extended and formed for reception of a suitable wrench, by means of which the worm may be turned in the lever. The central web 28 of the beam I9 is extended at each end of the beam beyond the top and bottom flanges, and this extension of the web fits slidably in a slotted rail 29 suitably supported on the frame I, said rails thereby functioning as guides for the rail movement under actuation of the eccentrics 2 I, as described above. The shaft 22 has an arm 3| which extends radially from the shaft for engagement with a stop pin 32 on the frame I. This pin acts, therefore, to limit the rotational movement of the shaft 22 in one direction. Projecting from the the frame and which is normally maintained by.

suitable means in a position for engagement with the pin 33 when the lever has been swung around the axis of the shaft 22 to a suilicient extent to aiford said engagement. The latch 35 and its recess 34, through the lever 25, establish a limit to the rotary movement of the shaft 22 in a clockwise direction, as viewed for example in Fig. 2. The angular movement of the cams 2| is, therefore, determined by the stop 32 on the one hand, and the latch 35 on the other; and the actual extent of the rotary movement of the cams 2| between the aforesaid established limits will depend upon the relative positions of the lever 25 and the worm wheel 23. With the parts in the operative position illustrated in Fig. 2, for example, it will be apparent that the lever 25 may move through an angle of approximately 180 before the pin 33 will engage the notch 34 of the latch 35; and the cams 2| will be rocked through a like angle. By adjusting the lever 25 angularly with respect to the worm wheel 23 through the medium of the worm 24, as previously described, the maximum angular movement of the lever and, therefore, of the cams 2| may be increased or reduced as desired. In any given position of the lever 25 with respect to the worm wheel 23, the maximum rotary movement of the cams 2| is.establlshed, as described above, and will not vary unless or until a subsequent adjustment of the lever 25 with respect to the worm wheel takes place.

The angular movement of the cams 2| determines the extent to which the beam l3 and the slitter units H are elevated towards the front drum or platen 2, and since the beam l5 forms a fixed limit stop for the outer terminal ends of the springs M of the slitter units, the extent of elevation of the beam I! also determines the tension of the slitter disks against the drum 2.

In practice, therefore, the worm 24 is adjusted to bring the lever 25 into an angular position with respect to the worm wheel 23 such that when the pin 33 of the said lever engages in the recess 34 0f the latch 35, the slitter disks will bear with the exact required pressure against the mandrel 2. Thereafter, the lever 25 may be manipulated to retract and elevate the slitter units with assurance that the desired operating tension or pressure of the slitter disks upon the mandrel will remain unchanged. In other words, the pressure of the slitter disks is in effect established and pre-set by adjustment of the worm 24 as described.

It is to be noted that the pin 32 is so positioned, and the arm 3| so arranged with respect to the cams 2|, that when the arm engages the pin, the cam is in the position afiording maximum clearance between the bar l5 and the drum 2; and that this condition prevails irrespective of the position of the lever or its adjustment through the worm 24 to regulate the slitter tension.

The beam l5, see Figs. 4, 6 and '7, is pivotally supported upon trunnions 31 in the opposite side members of the frame. Secured to one end and to the under side of the beam l5 is a pair of elements 33, 33 which engage opposite sides of a cam 33, this cam being carried at the inner end of a shaft 4| joumaled in the frame I. The outer end of the shaft is provided with a lever arm 42 by means of which the cam may be oscillated. Oscillation of the cam will shift the beam on its pivots 31 between a normal operative position, as shown in Fig. 4, and a retracted position, as shown in Fig. '7. In the normal position, the under side of the beam is in position for engagement with the outer ends of the springs H of the slitter units; but in the retracted position, as shown in Fig. 7, the lower edge of the beam is withdrawn from the springs l4, which are thereby freed for vertical movement. With the beam i5 retracted and the beam IS in its lower position as illustrated, the levers l3 with their slitter disks l2 and springs l4 are readily accessible for withdrawal from the machine.

If the unit as a whole, inclusive of the spacer member I1, is to be removed, this may be accomplished by release of the set screw l8 and by subsequent lateral tipping movement accompanied by elevation of the unit from the fulcrum bar l5. The units may be correspondingly readily applied to the fulcrum bar. It will be understood that with the beam IS in the depressed position, the lever l3 may be adjusted angularly on the fulcrum l5, so that the outer end of the spring I4 is depressed to a position permitting return of the beam l5 to the normal position overlying the spring; and subsequent elevation of the beam |3 through the medium of the eccentrics 2| will carry the slitter units to their operative positions, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the outer end of the spring I4 is provided with an adjusting screw 43 whereby some adjustment of the tension of the spring l4 and the resulting pressure of the slitter disks against the drum 2 may be eifected independently of the worm and worm wheel device described above.

Pivotally attached to the frame, one at each side thereof, are bell crank levers 44. Each of position shown in broken lines in Fig. 4. This movement of the lever 48 rocks the shaft 41 and elevates the bell crank levers 44 so as to bring a roller 5| upwardly against the web 5 as the latter passes to the front drum 2. This has the effect of elevating the web between the drums 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 4, and smooths the-web immediately in advance of its contact with the drum 2. Thus the smoothing roller 5| is moved into operative position only at such times that the slitter units may be elevated to their operative positions. It is to be noted that by reason of the fact that the roller 5| is elevated by direct action of the lever 25 when the latter advances into the operative position, and since the operative position of the lever is definitely established by the latch 35, the actuation of the roller 5| and its ultimate position of advancement toward the drums are unaffected by adjustments of the slitter tension through the worm 24.

I claim:

1. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a slitting element coactive with the roll, a support for said element movable to and from the roll, and means actuated by movement of said support for resiliently tensioning the slitting element against the roll; mechanism for advancing and retracting the support the actuating member relatively to the mechanism so as to regulate the extent of the movement of the support within said limits.

2. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a slitting element coactive with the roll, a support for said element movable to and from the roll, and means actuated by movement of said support for resiliently tensioning the slitting element against the roll; cam means for advancing and retracting the support with respect to the roll, a lever for actuating the cam,

means on the lever for establishing a limit to the movement of the cam in one direction, means independent of the lever for establishing a limit to the movement of the cam in the other direction, and means for adjusting the lever relatively to the cam so as to regulate the extent of the movement of the cam within said limits.

3. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a slitting element coactive with the roll, a support for said element movable to and from the roll, and means actuated by movement of said support for resiliently tensioning the slitting element against the roll; a shaft, a cam secured to the shaft and operatively associated with the support so as to advance and retract the latter with respect to the roll, a worm wheel secured to the shaft, a lever journaled on the shaft and carrying a worm in mesh with the wheel, a stop associated with the shaft to limit the rotation thereof in one direction, means associated with the lever for establishing a limit to angular movement thereof around the shaft axis in the other direction, and means for actuating the worm to adjust the position of the lever around the worm wheel.

4. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a fulcrum member movable to and from the roll, and a lever fulcrumed on said member and having a slitter element for engagement with the platen roll and a spring for tensioning the said element against the roll; a pivoted member forming an abutment for the spring against which the spring is pressed when the slitter element is against the roll to thereby tension the slitter element, the pivot of said member being located above and substantially in line with the resultant spring pressure, and means for adjusting the said abutment member on its pivot.

5. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a fulcrum member movable to and from the roll, and a lever fulcrumed on said member and having at one side of the fulcrum a slitter element for engagement with the platen roll and at the other side of the fulcrum a spring for tensioning the slitter element against the roll; a member adjustable into the path .of said spring as the lever is advanced with the fulcrum member so as to form a tensioning abutment for the spring, and cam means for adjusting said member.

6. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a fulcrum bar paralleling said roll and movable to and from the latter, and one or more levers fulcrumed on said bar'and having each a slitter element atone side of the fulcrum and a spring extending at the other side of the fulcrum for tensioning the slitter element against the roll; a beam paralleling the fulcrum bar and 'pivotally supported for adjustment selectively into alternative positions, said beam in one of said positions lying in the path of the said springs of the slitter levers as the latter are advanced with the fulcrum bar toward the platen roll, and in the alternative position lying clear of the path of said springs, thereby to facilitate removal of the said levers from the fulcrum bar.

'7. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a fulcrum bar paralleling said roll and movable to and from the latter, and one or more levers fulcrumed on said bar and havin each a slitter element at one side of the fulcrum and a spring extending at the other side of the fulcrum for tensioning the slitter element against the roll; a beam paralleling the fulcrum bar and pivotally supported for adjustment selectively into alternative positions, said beam in one of said positions lying in the path of the said springs of the slitter levers as the latter are advanced with the fulcrum bar toward the platen roll, and in the alternative position lying clear of the path of said springs, thereby to facilitate removal of the said levers from the fulcrum bar, and a cam operatively connected with said beam for adjusting the latter to said positions.

8. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a slitting element coactive with the roll, a support for said element movable to and from the roll, and means actuated by the movement of said support for resiliently tensioning the slitting element against the roll; mechanism for advancing and retracting the support with respect to the roll, an actuating member for the mechanism movable to and from a predetermined terminal position in advancing and retracting the. support respectively, means for adjusting the actuating member relative to the mechanism so as to regulate the operative position of the support when the actuating member is in the said predetermined position, means for directing a web of material to said platen, a smoothing roll for engaging the web in advance of said platen, and means actuated by said member when approaching and leaving said terminal position respectively for advancing and retracting said smoothing roll to and from an operative position with respect to the web.

9. In a slitting machine of the type comprising a platen roll, a slitting element coactive with the roll, asupport for said element movable to and from the roll, and means actuated by movement of said support for resiliently tensioning the slitting element against the roll, mechanism for advancing and retracting the support with respect to the roll, said mechanism being adjustable to regulate the fully advanced or operative position of the support, means for directinga web of material to said platen, a smoothing roll for engaging the web in advance of said platen, means for advancing and retracting the smoothing roll to and from an operative position with respect to the web, and means for operatively connecting the support with said advancing and retracting means whereby the said means-is actuated to advance and to retract the smoothing roll into and from an operative position respectively at the end of the advance and the beginning of the retractive movements oi the support irrespective of said adjustment.

' ROBERT McC. JOHNBTONE. 

